Girls protected from autism, study suggests

It takes more mutations to trigger autism in women than in men, which may explain why men are four times more likely to have the disorder, according to a study. The findings bolster those from previous studies, but don't explain what confers protection against autism in women. The fact that autism is difficult to diagnose in girls may mean that studies enroll only those girls who are severely affected and who may therefore have the most mutations, researchers note.View full story